Given the continuous rise in COVID cases, Laridae will continue conducting its operations in an all-virtual format until May 1, 2021. UPDATE APRIL 24, 2021: With the rise of cases, we do not anticipate travelling until September. We will revisit this policy in September, or earlier if the situation changes drastically.
To do our part in keeping our clients, staff, and communities safe, we will not be conducting in-person client engagements or meetings for the next few months.
Our commitment to ensuring the health and safety of our staff, our clients – large and small, across Ontario and beyond – as well as the communities they serve, is paramount. Therefore, we will continue to offer all of our consulting and training services virtually.
Although, typically, we are keen to meet face-to-face, we are cognisant of the risk that this would present to our staff and clients—all non-profit organizations, many of which support vulnerable populations. All of us at Laridae believe we have a personal and collective responsibility to each other and to those we serve. We trust you will understand and support this decision.
Continually Improving the Virtual Experience
Like many of you, the pandemic has pushed us to change and adapt; to do things differently.
Fortunately, Laridae had a track record of delivering high-quality virtual services even before the shift to remote-work brought on by COVID. As a result of serving non-profits across Ontario and Canada’s vast geography, we were already well-versed in delivering consulting projects and management training remotely. But, even still, the past seven months have spurred us to continue improving the quality and value of the virtual experience we deliver. Through this process, we have realized many new and unexpected benefits of working remotely.
It has been heartening to see how the shift to a virtual format has had a number of positive impacts for our clients, too. Notably, there has been a greater sense of inclusion and access for many. For example, we’ve heard from clients that this shift has reduced geographic barriers for participation that once existed for organizations that have distributed teams or multiple locations.
We have also heard—and observed—that virtual sessions have allowed for some unexpected benefits to groups, boards, and teams: with typical power dynamics disrupted by the change in format, positive group dynamics can emerge, difficult discussions can be easier to broach, and greater equality of participation can occur.
So, while some aspects of our work have necessarily been adapted, we have learned that the outcomes, impacts, and value of virtual consulting and training are as meaningful as in-person engagements—just differently designed and delivered.
If you have any questions about what this means for our work together, or for your team, please let me know. I am happy to discuss and to ensure that we tailor our approach to continue being accessible, engaging, and transformational for your next consulting or training experience.
Thank you,